‘Installed a Malware on the X Vids’ Fake Blackmail Sextortion Scam

According to this email, the sender used malware to record compromising video of you while you were visiting an x-rated website.

And, claims the sender, this malware also gathered all of your contacts from your email and Facebook accounts. The sender threatens to post a copy of the compromising video to all of your contacts if you do not pay $7000 via Bitcoin within one day.

In an effort to make the claims seem more believable, the sender has included one of your passwords in the email.

However, the sender has not really created a compromising video of you nor has he or she gathered all of your contacts as claimed. In fact, the email is a scam designed to panic you into sending money to online criminals.

These scammers send out many thousands of identical emails in the hope of tricking just a few people into paying up.

So, you may ask, if the scammers have not really infiltrated my computer, how do they know my password? As I discuss in more detail in a separate report, the scammers are collecting the passwords and the associated email addresses from old data breaches. Many commentators have indicated that the passwords in the emails are very old and no longer being used.

The scammers are no doubt using a script of some kind that examines the breached data and automatically inserts the password associated with a particular email address into each scam message before it is sent.

If you receive one of these emails, the best thing to do is just hit the delete key. Do not reply or respond to the message.

As noted, the password data that the scammers are using is quite old. Many recipients would have already changed the password listed in the emails. However, if the email you received includes a password that you are currently using, you should change the password immediately.

You can check if an account has been compromised in a data breach by entering the associated email address into Troy Hunt’s “have i been pwned” service.

These sextortion scam emails are increasingly common. Scroll down past the following example to access more Hoax-Slayer reports about such scams.

An example of the scam email:

I am aware [REMOVED] is your password.
Lets get directly to point. You do not know me and you’re most likely wondering why you are getting this email? Absolutely no one has paid me to check about you.actually, I installed a malware on the X vids (sexually graphic) website and guess what, you visited this website to have fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching videos, your web browser started functioning as a Remote control Desktop with a key logger which provided me with access to your display screen and webcam. Immediately after that, my software program gathered every one of your contacts from your Messenger, Facebook, and email account. Next I made a double video. First part displays the video you were viewing (you have a fine taste haha . . .), and 2nd part displays the recording of your web camera, yea it is you.

You have got 2 possibilities. Let us study each one of these choices in aspects:

1st solution is to dismiss this message. Then, I am going to send out your actual tape to each of your your personal contacts and then just consider concerning the embarrassment you experience. Furthermore if you happen to be in a relationship, how it will affect?

Second solution should be to pay me $7000. We are going to call it a donation. Consequently, I most certainly will right away remove your video footage. You could continue your daily life like this never happened and you never will hear back again from me.

Should you are making plans for going to the law enforcement officials, okay, this e mail can not be traced back to me. I have dealt with my moves. I am not trying to ask you for much, I want to be paid for.

You have one day to make the payment. I have a special pixel in this message, and right now I know that you have read this email message. If I don’t receive the BitCoins, I will definitely send out your video to all of your contacts including family members, coworkers, and many others. Nevertheless, if I receive the payment, I will destroy the video right away. If you need proof, reply with Yea then I will certainly send your video to your 5 friends.

This is the non-negotiable offer, so don’t waste mine time & yours by replying to this e mail.